Choices and Voices
by tigerfur123
Summary: Life as a warrior was never Meadowcloud's first choice to serve her clan, but she wouldn't give it up if it meant that she could be with her mate, Ravenheart. But when tragedy strikes, and lives are taken, Meadowcloud has to make a choice between the life she wanted to live, and the life she was supposed to live. Rated T just in case.
1. Change and Tragedy

okay this is my first One shot so im excited! it wont be that short, but it's not long! REVIEW! please :)

ALLIANCES

Windclan

Leader: Swiftstar- black and white patched tom with green eyes

Deputy: ravenheart- pure black tom with a white paw and yellow eyes

Medicine Cat: Skyberry- perky gray and white patched she-cat with big green eyes

Apprentice: Wetpaw- light gray tom with white paws

Warriors

Snowwillow- white tom with faint light gray streaks in his fur

Buzzardflight- blackish brown tom with amber eyes

Stoneclaw- gray tabby tom with green eyes

Redfeather- red tabby she-cat with green eyes

Emberleaf- ginger tabby tom with a sharp tongue

Whitewhisker- white she-cat with green eyes

Thistletail- white and gray patched she-cat with green eyes

_Apprentice, Grasspaw_

Nightberry- black she-cat with green eyes

Harespots- white tom with brown spots and amber eyes

_Apprentice, Frostpaw_

Dawnflight- creamy she-cat with yellow eyes

Cherryfrost- rude cream and ginger patched she-cat with green eyes

Meadowcloud- thin gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Ryefeather- tawny she-cat with amber eyes

Oatcloud- cream she-cat with yellow eyes

Adderpelt- light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Wildclaw- wiry tan tom with fur that sticks out in all places

Apprentices:

Frostpaw- small white she-cat with blue eyes

Grasspaw- small gray tabby tom with green eyes

Queens:

Fernheart- gray and white patched she-cat with green eyes (expecting Emberleaf's kits)

Elders:

Palenose- pale gray tabby tom with green eyes

Petalfrost- pale gray she-cat with green eyes

* * *

Chapter 1

Meadowcloud glanced up from her vole to look at Ravenheart one more time. Happiness fluttered in her chest as she chewed slowly. He looked up at her too and smiled. His sleek black pelt was shining from the soft sunlight, and his eyes seemed to twinkle every time he looked at her.

Her love for this tom was like no other. She had known he was for her since she was an apprentice. She hadn't anything that made her doubt that.

"I love you" she purred, her voice full of delight. He purred back, his voice much deeper than her own.

"I love you too". She could see her love for him reflecting in his eyes. "I can't wait for our kits" he meowed, taking a bite out of their vole. She cocked her head, puzzled.

"I'm not expecting" she meowed, confused. His whiskers twitched with laughter.

"I know that, but we will. And our kits will be the greatest Warriors the Clan has ever seen" he purred.

"Or Medicine Cat" she added softly. he nodded, his mouth full. His tail swayed back and forth across the grass happily.

Ravenheart stood up, stretching out his legs each in turn. He gave himself a quick shake before saying, "I have to get back to my duties. I still haven't sent out that second hunting patrol that Swiftstar had ordered". He bent down and gave her a quick lick on the ear before turning and padding over to the Warriors den to summon some cats.

Meadowcloud looked around the camp, letting out a sigh. She was happy, and she couldn't imagine being more contempt with her life.

She watched as the two apprentices, no older than seven moons, came bounding in through the camp entrance, bouncing on the worn-down grass that bedded the camp. Grasspaw, a small gray tabby, swiped his front paw at his sister's muzzle, barely missing it. Frostpaw pounced on top of her littermate, and he was engulfed under her fluffy white fur.

She watched as they rolled around the ground, batting at each other playfully until their mentors ordered them back to their duties. But not even they could frown at the two newest apprentices, for their innocence and impeccability simply warmed everyone's heart.

The sky was clear without a single cloud covering it, and the warm breeze of the late new-leaf was pleasurable. The gorse that enclosed the camp rose high above their heads protectively, keeping the wind out of the camp . There hadn't been any border skirmishes in almost a moon, and all the Clans seemed to be happy at this time. The Gathering would be soon, and Meadowcloud guessed that there would be nothing but good news from every Clan.

She stood up and shook out her pelt, swallowing the last of the vole, then padded over to where her friend, Fernheart, was sitting outside the nursery. She had found out she was pregnant a quarter moon ago and was preparing to move in soon. Most she-cats liked to stretch the time before moving in as long as possible, but Fernheart was so excited for her soon-to-be kits that she had already moved her nest into the nursery.

"Have you been thinking of names?" she asked her long time friend. She was staring off into the distance, but jerked her head to look at Meadowcloud. she smelled strongly of borage, which was used to make sure she had enough milk when he kits did come.

"I try not to, because I want to name them off of the first thing I think of when I see them, like most queens, but I just can't stop thinking!" she mewed, excitement leaking through her voice.

Meadowcloud chuckled, but then her tone became more serious. "What does Emberleaf think of all of this?" she asked in a hushed voice. Fernheart's face went blank, but she could tell that she wasn't very eager to talk about her short time mate.

He had cheated on his current mate, when they hadn't been speaking due to some fight they had been in, and he had fooled around with Fernheart. She hadn't thought of it as fooling around, for she had always secretly liked him, but she meant nothing to him, and he hadn't intended to keep the relationship going, much less have her kits.

Every cat knew that Fernheart was having his kits, and he was embarrassed and ashamed about it. Thistletail had been avoiding him lately, also. Meadowcloud guessed that he didn't want too much to do with his soon-to-be kits. And most cats expected that Thistletail was pregnant too, by the way she had gained some weight.

"We haven't spoken much about it" she meowed, her voice sharp. "But personally, I don't want him to help me raise them. I can handle them on my own" she added bitterly. Her eyes were slits, and you could tell that the whole situation made her near-spitting mad.

"If you want, I can be their father" Meadowcloud offered, joking. Fernheart smiled a bit, but she could still see the anger and sorrow in her friend's eyes.

_ I wonder what it would be like if Thistletail _does_ move into the nursery, _she thought. That would only create more tension. Two litters of cats, both with the same father, but him not wanted in either of the families.

_StarClan please don't let that happen!_

* * *

Howls erupted in Meadowcloud's ears as she slept in the warm sunlight in camp. She looked up quickly to see the hunting patrol Ravenheart had sent out staggering through the camp, blood dripping from their bodies.

She watched as Buzzardflight and Harespots hobbled through the crowd, both gripping onto Ravenheart as he lay limply in their hold.

"No!" Meadowcloud screamed, jumping up and sprinting over to her mate. He had blood dripping from his neck, a huge scratch stretching from his shoulder to his throat. Bubbles were gurgling from it, and his black pelt was covered in slimy blood.

"What happened?" she screamed, letting out a whimper.

"There was a fox" Buzzardflight panted, looking down at his old friend. Skyberry, the cheery old medicine cat, had a bundle of herbs in her mouth, ready to be treated. She quickly chewed up some goldenrod and marigold and spat it onto Ravenheart's neck, then placed cobwebs on the wound. She frantically plastered more onto his throat, but the bleeding wouldn't stop. To her horror, it was seeping through the cobwebs and dripping down to the ground.

"Stop" he whispered quietly. "It is my time. StarClan want me there, with them. Save Wetpaw" he choked out. Meadowcloud had paid no attention to the bleeding apprentice who was lying beside her mate.

"No!" she screamed. "Fix him! He needs to live!" she was hysterical, her nose running and she was coughing from screaming so hard.

"No, my love. It's time for me to leave. I love you, and don't ever forget that" he said the words with such love that even the pain in his voice could not hide. His throat bubbled as he choked out the last word, and then he lay his head back down and went still.

"No!" she screamed. She wailed so hard her throat hurt, but it didn't bother her. Her heart hurt more than her throat, and she knew that he was gone. Skyberry was quickly applying remedies of herbs to her apprentice, Wetpaw, but it was no use. He was slowly slipping away also.

"Why?" she heard his mother whisper. "Why did you take him so soon?" she wailed quietly to herself. Whitewhisker and her other kits, Frostpaw and Grasspaw, were lying near their dying littermate, sobbing as his spirit was taken by StarClan.

_Why have you taken our Clanmates?_ She asked Starclan silently. _Why did you take them away from us?_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

OK, how was it? ill have next chapter up soon! review!

-tiger


	2. Decisions, decisions

**okay, here's chapter 2! hope you enjoy it!**

Chapter 2

Meadowcloud was awakened by the jostling of something in front of her. She opened her eyes to see the elders, Palenose and Petalfrost picking up her mate and lay it in front of the Tallrock. They would soon be starting their journey to where Ravenheart and Wetpaw were to be buried, after Swiftstar appointed a new Deputy.

She felt a gentle tail wrap around her shoulders and she knew it was Fernheart beside her. "I grieve for you" she whispered.

A yowl sounded as Swiftstar bounded out of his den and sprang up onto the Tallrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Tallrock for a clan meeting!" he looked up at the moon, which was almost at its peak.

"He's going to appoint the new Deputy" she heard Ryefeather whisper to her sister, Oatcloud. The two sisters were very close, like most littermates in WindClan.

As cats settled down they murmured to each other about who the new Deputy would be. Meadowcloud guessed it would be Stoneclaw, who was a close friend of Swiftstar, but she wasn't sure. Her mind was still too fogged with grief to think about those things.

"As you all know," their black and white patched leader began, "we have lost two honorable cats due to a badger attack today. But I still must appoint a deputy, and I hope that StarClan will approve my choice". He meowed, and then paused as his gaze slid across the camp.

"I say these words before the body of Ravenheart, so his spirit will may hear and approve of my choice. Snow-willow will be the new Deputy of Windclan", he spoke the words of many cats before him with pride, but sadness was still visible in his eyes.

Snow-willow stepped forwards, his chin held high. "Thank you Swiftstar. You will not regret your choice" he mewed. The clan burst into cheers, but sorrow could still be traced in their voices.

Swiftstar raised his tail for silence once again before speaking. "As you all know, Wetpaw, Skyberry's apprentice, was also lost today". Swiftstar sighed before continuing what he was saying. "We must remember that Skyberry is without an apprentice, and, StarClan forbid, she could join them in their hunting grounds any time now" he winced at the thought of losing his much-loved Medicine Cat.

"We must all realize that the clan could be without a Medicine Cat if I do not have an apprentice soon!" Skyberry exclaimed, her voice sounding a bit panicked. "I do not wish to leave my clan without a fully trained Medicine Cat, and I hope that that will never happen" she added.

Swiftstar nodded, seeming troubled. "My kits might be interested in becoming a Medicine Cat!" Fernheart stepped up, raising her head. Murmurs spread around the camp, and a few approving shouts were shared. Meadowcloud looked over at Emberleaf, whose head was down.

"It might be too late!" one cat yelled, and then a few others joined in. Swiftstar raised his tail for silence again, and then when the Clan was quiet, he began.

"We must have faith in StarClan, and hope for the best" he mewed. Then with a flick of his tail he jumped down and disappeared to his den, Skyberry close behind him.

Meadowcloud watched as the elders started their way back over to Ravenheart, but she quickly bounced up and ran over for one last goodbye.

Thrusting her nose into her lost mate's fur, she breathed in his scent, but it was now cold and drowned out by the smell of rosemary, which had been placed around his body to hide the smell of death.

Meadowcloud swallowed down a sob as she watched them take his body away, his tail dragging on the ground behind him. _ I love you_.

She looked over to where Stoneclaw and Whitewhisker were talking quietly, their heads' close together. She watched as Whitewhisker rested her head against her mate's shoulder, her eyes shut tightly with a mixture of anger and sadness.

She couldn't look at the long-time mates any longer. It broke her heart, even though she knew that they were suffering from a loss too, to see two cats that loved each other together like that.

She padded over to the small rabbit's den that she and Ravenheart had shared when it rained, which had been abandoned many moons ago. She curled up in the old moss, which badly need to be replaced, and closed her eyes. All she wanted was a dreamless sleep to get her mind off her heart.

She opened her eyes to see a faint light leaking through the branched above her. She sat up, looking around at the unfamiliar place. She was in a small clearing with dandelions growing in the wispy grass and undergrowth surrounding it.

She heard rustling as a fluffy brown tabby came padding through the ferns. He padded straight up to her, dipping his head in greeting. Starlight glittered from his thick pelt and his eyes were unusually bright. He had a wise and experienced look to him, yet he seemed no older than a young warrior.

"Hello, I am Brownleaf, WindClan's Medicine cat before your time" he mewed, his voice gentle.

"Why am I here?" Meadowcloud asked, bewildered.

"Look around you" he started. "There are secrets hidden in any place, you just have to look hard enough" Meadowcloud looked around, seeing nothing but ferns and brambles.

"I don't see anything" she meowed, confused. she didn't even know what she was supposed to be looking for.

He let out a peaceful hum and closed his eyes.

"Look _harder_" he repeated, his eyes still closed. Meadowcloud looked around, her eyes straining. Suddenly, she could spot herbs growing around the outskirts of the clearing they were in. Juniper berries were growing on one of the bushed that she thought was a bramble; dock leaves mistaken for ferns, marigold, and goldenrod, both used to treat Ravenheart's wound.

"I see them" she whispered, and the old tom nodded. "Thyme for a nervous cat, or one in shock, daisy for pain in aching joints, feverfew brings down body temperature, but especially great for headaches, blackberry leaves for bringing down the swelling of bee stings…", she whispered to herself. She could go on and on, but then she remembered that Brownleaf was still there.

She looked over to see what he thought of her knowledge, but he was gone. She looked around for him, but he had disappeared.

Sunlight seeped through the hole that led to the open air. Meadowcloud felt claustrophobic in the small area and pushed her way through to the smell of heather and rough grass. Her pads felt sore, as if she had been standing in her sleep. Then she remembered her dream.

_"There are secrets hidden in any place, you just have to look hard enough"_ Brownleaf's words rung in her head, and she wasn't sure of how to make sense of them.

_ Skyberry will know_.

She began her way over to the medicine cat's den, which was some heather and gorse weaved together with some overhanging grass from the camp wall. She pushed through the entrance, her fur brushing the top of the opening.

Inside, Dawnflight was holding her paw up, while Skyberry licked around one spot on her pad. Finally, she nipped at the she-cat's paw, and when she emerged, a thorn was placed skillfully between her teeth.

Dawnflight licked her pad a few times before saying, "Thanks Skyberry". She pushed past Meadowcloud and into the clearing. Skyberry spat the thorn into the corner of the den, away from any other paws. She looked up expectantly at Meadowcloud.

"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked, her raspy voice still joyful.

"Well, err, well I had this dream…" she began, and Skyberry took one giant step towards her, coming nose to nose with Meadowcloud.

"What was it about?" she asked quickly, her voice hushed. Meadowcloud squirmed uncomfortably under the Medicine Cat's urgent gaze.

"There was this brown cat . . . Brownleaf was his name, and-" she was cut off by Skyberry's words.

"He was my mentor" she mumbled, looking down at the ground, and then her gaze shot back up at her. Meadowcloud continued.

"He told me some things, and then there were all these herbs that surrounded us, and-"

"Do you know what this means?" Skyberry asked frantically, her voice getting higher. "You have to be a medicine cat! StarClan have chosen your true path!" she mewed, loudly.

Meadowcloud froze. She had thought about being a Medicine Cat before,since she was a kit, even, but she didnt think it was the job for her.

"I don't know . . . "she mewed, unsure.

"You can't decline StarClan! This is a sign! You _have_ to!" she meowed, pushing past Meadowcloud and heading towards where Swiftstar was speaking with his new Deputy, Snow-willow.

Meadowcloud bolted out behind her, not wanting Skyberry to tell her leader. _She has bees in her brain_.

"Swiftstar, we need to talk in your den" she heard her crazy Medicine Cat saying to the black and white leader.

The muscular tom looked up at his medicine cat with a stunning green gaze, whom most she-cats admired, but Skyberry was not fazed by them. "OK" he mewed, his voice deep but clear. He turned around and disappeared into his small den, which was behind the Tallrock.

Inside was dark, but a dim light seeped in through the entrance. Swiftstar sat near the back, his broad shoulders barely visible in the den.

"Is there something wrong? Did StarClan send any omens?" he asked, his voice sounding a bit worried. Skyberry shook her head, but then stopped.

"Well, yes, but not to me. To Meadowcloud." She mewed, pointing her head towards the gray she-cat. Swiftstar looked at her expectantly, but Skyberry spoke first.

"StarClan have told Meadowcloud to become my apprentice" she meowed happily. Their leader nodded, his eyes locked with Meadowcloud's.

"Is this what you want?" He questioned, a sincere look in his eyes. _He doesn't want me to make the wrong choice._

"Yes" she meowed, her voice weak. She only half heard herself though, for her mind was clouded with thoughts of Ravenheart.

_Is this the choice I would have made if he never came along?_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**How was it? Good? Bad? OK? Tell me by reviewing, and i always need new ideas! oh, and also, tell me your favorite warrior names, and maybe they will be published in some upcoming chapters ;)**_  
_

**-Tiger  
**


End file.
